We started going on trips for mom’s birthday a couple years ago. This year she turned 60 and we went to the big apple, NYC. It was the first time for any of us to travel there. We arrived on Wednesday morning and hit the ground running. After checking into the hotel we went to the TKTS booth to get 1/2 price broadway tickets. We ended up getting amazing seats to Pippin for the matinee show but before that ventured to the first restaurant in NYC, Cielo At the Mayfair. The show ended up be right next to our hotel  so we stopped by to bundle up to go to the Top of the Rock for a view of the entire city before walking around, more like getting lost in Time Square.

Broadway show

Top of the Rock
  

Walking around the city … we got lost on the way back to hotel but it was pretty to see the big city
 

Thursday we started the day off early at Starbucks then caught a cab to The Kelly and Michael show. We arrived there at 6:30 and were not the first in line. We met a few ladies on a mother/daughter trip from New Orleans and were able to chat with them for a couple hours. The show was actually taped from 9-10. Stacy received a couple text right after the show that we were on TV for a minute; we officially made our television debut. When it was over we headed to a bakery that Stacy wanted to go to before walking to Central Park. We started off walking but since it is 15 square miles, we ended up getting a carriage tour through part of the park to cover more ground. We stopped by the biggest Macy’s we’ve every saw. I got overwhelmed at the shear size of it or maybe it was our hungry that caused us to exit after only a few minutes. We ventured to the subway – getting lucky and hopped on the right one the first time to go to Balthazar, a restaurant Stacy’s co-worker recommended. The has a local wine release so we were able to partake with a yummy lupper. The next stop was the financial district. It was very solemn to stand in the spot where our country was attacked on 9/11. Being a civil/structural engineer we could not go to NYC without walking on the Brooklyn Bridge. All the walking ended at Max Brenner Chocolate Bar before we headed in for the night.

Kelly and Michael show. It was interesting to see the studio and watch what happens during commercials. We ale met some other ladies on a mother-daughter trip
   

Carriage ride thru Central Park

Macy’s was huge! As a child I always remember mom giving to the red bucket and of course she did here too; she is very generous to everyone

As we were about to get on the subway mom realized her earring was gone right after we took these picture. We scooted to the wall, I started praying a silent prayer for God to help us find it and Stacy heard a thud then when I looked down her earring was at her foot

9/11 Memorial
 

Brooklyn Bridge

 Enjoying our precious time together

Friday we started our day early again leaving just after 6 to go to Juniors for breakfast. Their omelets were HUGE! We all could had shared one plate. Venturing back to the subway we headed to Battery Park to go catch a boat to tour the Statue of liberty and Ellis Island. It was amazing to see the statue of liberty in person. It was interesting to see Ellis Island too where immigrants would enter the America after cheering at the site of the statue. Mimi said we would need to go back and take the little munchkins in a few years.
We headed to little Italy next for yummy  pizza at Lombardi’s before heading back towards Times Square to pick up a few souvenirs for our little ones and men at home. Tonight was when we had reservations to Osteria al Doge that Uncle David recommended before we went to the Rockettes. This was something that Mimi and I wanted to do; it was on my bucket list. The show did not disappoint at all. Loved every minute of it. Afterwards we walked around the city a little bit looking at the decorations that were up as the city prepared for Christmas season. We were told that Juniors’ cheesecakes were award winning so stopped by and grabbed a piece to share in the room that evening.

Sweet Sara made my morning … she included Mimi and aunt Lisa in the card that she made for the trip

Breakfast at Juniors before hopping on the subway. Proud of our navigation skills by the end of the trip
    

Bundled up on the boat to see the Statue of Liberty
  

Ellis Island

Great oven fired pizza

Loved the Rockette show!
  

Not to break our streak we were up early on Saturday too. We walked down to the Grand Central Station which was one of the only places open that early on a Saturday in the city. We ventured towards Levaine Bakery to get treats to take back home but they were not open so we walked around lincoln center area venturing into Walgreens, Trader Joes, subway, and Starbucks to warm up before our Levaine’s opened. We were not the only ones in line to get yummy treats before walking towards our brunch spot, The Smith that was recommended by multiple people before we headed up to NYC. As soon as our brunch was over we went back to the Marriott Marquis to call the car service and head to airport. We were anxious to get home to our wonderful husbands and little princesses. They all surprised us at the airport to welcome us home before we all went to Mimi’s for dinner, to exchange pictures, and hand out surprises from the trip.

Grand Central Station
  

Warming up at Starbucks waiting on The Smith to open

The girls stayed home with Chris the few days mommy was gone. Chris sent a couple pictures and videos and a friend sent one of Leia at school Thursday. Deedee came over after work on Thursday to help out. Leia got to sleep with Deedee a couple nights and Ivy slept with daddy. Mommy missed them and daddy like crazy. The girls told me all about the fun they had a great time with Deedee and  daddy though which made me smile.